Giving birth is a beautiful process, and your new baby is one of the greatest gifts you’ll ever receive in life. However, the process of growing a baby inside your body is intensive and takes a significant toll on your body’s appearance and functionality. Once you’ve gotten to a point where you feel comfortable investing some time in your post-pregnancy body, here are a few tips to getting your body back on track.
Give yourself a break
First of all, you must realize that you just underwent an incredibly challenging body process, and it will take some time to recover! Even if you were hitting the gym five days a week, or able to lift extreme weight prior to your pregnancy, you must realize that it will take some time to get your body back in this kind of shape. And that’s okay. Give yourself a break mentally and physically, and give yourself permission to take your time in getting back to a healthy state and a weight that you are comfortable with.
Start small
When you do get back in the gym, or back in your fitness routine, start small. Don’t jump into the same aerobics classes or treadmill incline that you were working on prior to your pregnancy. Take baby steps. Instead of hitting the elliptical for 20 minutes, start with 10. Test the waters first to avoid injury or overexertion. And remember, give yourself permission to go slowly.
Hit the weights
In any case, where someone is trying to lose weight, it’s important to fit in cardio to burn calories, but the real “X-factor” for weight loss is lifting weights. When you lift weights, you’re working on building muscle in the body, which then allows you to burn even more calories as you continue to workout. Doing strength work, whether it’s with hand weights, machines, resistance bands, or even through classes like Pilates, is one of the best ways to supercharge your workout time and create lasting impact. Heavier weights mean more calories burned, but make sure you start with lighter weights and resistance work and then work your way up to heavier weights.
Consider weight loss surgery
If you are done having kids and are ready to see some serious changes in your body, then there’s also cosmetic surgery to consider. Depending on your unique situation and needs, an abdominoplasty, or a “tummy tuck,” may be exactly what you’re looking for. In this process, a surgeon will make your abdomen look thinner and tauter by removing excess skin and fat from the middle and lower abdomen in order to tighten the muscle and fascia of the abdominal wall. Pregnancy is one of the most common inciting events for a tummy tuck procedure since it can leave a significant amount of excess skin behind after the baby is delivered.
If you’re even the slightest bit interested in learning about a procedure like this, then make sure you consult with an expert before moving forward. Schedule a consultation with a surgical team like Tummy Tuck Mississauga to get your questions answered and decide if this procedure may be right for you.
